Osteospermum plant named &#39;sunny dark amanda&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of osteospermum plant named Sunny Dark Amanda, particularly characterized by its intense yellow-gold ray-floret color, with the floret tips&#39; being a slightly darker yellow, upright growth habit, elliptic ray florets in one or two complete whorls, and its nonvariegated leaves.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofOsteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis, andreferred to by the varietal denomination ‘Sunny Dark Amanda’.

The new cultivar is the product of a planned breeding program carriedout by the inventor in Odense, Denmark. The objective of the breedingprogram was to create new osteospermum cultivars with distinctly newflower colors.

The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the inventor in Odense,Denmark, in May 2002. The female, or seed parent, was the cultivar‘Sunny Serena’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Patent No. 15,693, and primarilycharacterized by its compact, upright, mounded-plant habit, its denseand bushy growth habit, its freely flowering habit, and its pale yellowray florets and contrasting grey disc florets. The male or pollen parentwas an unnamed and unpatented proprietary seedling identified by thecode number 30.013.01. The characteristics of the male parent are notpresently available.

The first act of asexual reproduction of the new cultivar wasaccomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the selection inApril 2004 in a controlled environment in Odense, Denmark, by or underthe supervision of the inventor.

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day lengthwithout, however, any variance in genotype.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and have beendetermined to be basic characteristics of the new cultivar, which incombination distinguish the new cultivar as being new and distinct:

-   1. The new cultivar has an upright growing habit, and possesses many    of the growth characteristics of the female parent ‘Sunny Serena’.-   2. Nonvariegated Leaves-   3. Elliptic ray florets formed in one or two complete ray floret    whorls.-   4. The mature upper surface ray floret base color is a very deep    yellow (13 B), with the ray-floret tips being even a more intense    deep yellow (13 A).

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor(s), themost similar cultivar in comparison to the new cultivar is the femaleparent ‘Sunny Serena’. The primary distinction is in ray floret color,with the base color of the upper surface of mature ray florets of ‘SunnySerena’ being a much lighter yellow, merging into and becoming white atthe base. In addition, the mature disc florets of ‘Sunny Serena’ aregray compared to the mature brown (200 C) disc florets of ‘Sunny DarkAmanda’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet shows a front-perspective viewof typical flowering plants (three) of the new cultivar in an 8″ pot.The photograph at the top of the sheet is a view showing in more detailpartially and fully open flowers of the new cultivar.

The colors in the photographs are as true as is reasonably possible withcolored reproductions of this type. If any differences exist between thephotographic color and the color values described below, the values inthe detailed description are accurate.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart. The values are based on plantmaterial grown in Bonsall, Calif., with the plants' being very matureand approximately 20 weeks old.

-   -   Botanical Classification: Osteospermum ecklonis cv Sunny Dark        Amanda.    -   Parentage:        -   Female parent: ‘Sunny Serena’.        -   Pollen parent: A proprietary cultivar identified as            30.013.01.    -   Propagation:        -   Type: Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots: About 10 to 14 days at 18-20 degrees            C.        -   Root Description: Fine, fibrous, and branching.            Plant Description    -   General appearance and shape: Generally V-shaped profile with a        very uniform, rounded canopy.    -   Habit: Fairly loose, open, very good vigor, and very        free-branching.    -   Plant height: 37 cm.    -   Plant diameter or area of spread: 40 cm. to 46 cm.    -   Lateral branching:        -   Number of primary lateral branches: 4.    -   Number of secondary lateral branches: 6-7.    -   Length of primary branches: About 34 cm. to 36 cm.    -   Diameter: About 0.6 cm. to 0.7 cm.    -   Internode length: About 1.0 cm. to 1.3 cm.    -   Texture: Pubescent.    -   Color: 146 B.    -   Foliage:        -   Arrangement: Alternate.        -   Simple or Compound: Simple.        -   Length: About 3.8 cm. to 5.0 cm.        -   Width: About 1.6 cm. to 2.4 cm., becoming smaller toward            tip.        -   Shape: Oblanceolate to obovate.        -   Apex shape: Broadly acute.        -   Base shape: Attenuate.        -   Margin: Nearly entire but having irregular points.        -   Texture: Top is slightly course, and bottom is minutely            pubescent.        -   Color:            -   Developing foliage: Upper surface, 147 A.                -   Lower surface, 146 A.            -   Mature foliage: Upper surface, 147 A.                -   Lower surface, slightly darker than 147 B.        -   Venation, upper and lower surfaces: 147 A to 147 C.        -   Petiole: Length, 1.1 to 1.3 cm.            -   Diameter, 0.4 cm.            -   Color: Both upper and lower sections, 146 A.        -   Other foliage characteristics: Dominant midvein, arcuate            veins.            -   No distinct petiole.            -   Leaves are tough and leathery.        -   Inflorescence:            -   Appearance: Solitary, terminal, and axillary.            -   Form: Single daisy, actinomorphic.            -   Orientation: Upright if terminal, outward if axillary.            -   Longevity: 5-6 days.            -   Fragrance: None.            -   Quantity: About 16 open flowers and                -   28 visible buds on main stem;                -   4-5 flowers and                -   8 buds on lateral stems, which are oriented about 2                    degrees to the vertical.            -   Size:                -   Total diameter: 6.7 cm.                -   Depth: About 1.5 cm.                -   Diameter of disc: 1.6 cm.                -   Receptacle diameter: 2.0 cm.                -   Receptacle height: 1.0 cm.            -   Buds (just before anthesis):                -   Height: 2.3 cm.                -   Diameter: 1.3 cm.                -   Shape: Ovoid to flat-topped.                -   Color: 200 A.            -   Ray florets:                -   Quantity per flower: 22.                -   Shape: Ligulate.                -   Length: 3.4 cm.                -   Width: 0.7 cm.                -   Apex: Acute and minutely tridentate.                -   Base: Acute.                -   Margin: Entire.                -   Texture: Smooth, satiny.                -   Aspect: Not completely flat; about 75-80 degrees                    from vertical.                -   Color: When opening: Upper surface ground color is                    13 B-C, with 17 A tips.                -   Lower surface has broad center stripe of 200 A-B,                    with margins' being 17 A.                -   Mature: Upper surface, mostly 13 B, with 13 A tips.                -   Lower surface has 183 A-B center stripe, with 17 A                    margins.            -   Disc florets:                -   Quantity per flower: Approximately 120.                -   Shape: Lanceolate.                -   Apex: Acute, 5 pointed.                -   Base: Truncated.                -   Length: 1.0 cm.                -   Width: 0.2 cm.                -   Color: Immature, 202 A.                -   Mature, 200 C.                -   Involucral bracts:                -   Quantity per flower: 19.                -   Length: 1.0 cm.                -   Width: 0.2 cm.                -   Shape: Lanceolate.                -   Apex: Acute.                -   Base: Truncate.                -   Color: Upper surface, 146 B.                -   Lower surface, 146 A.                -   Peduncles:                -   Strength: Good.                -   Aspect: Upright to angle of 30 degrees from                    vertical.                -   Length: Terminal peduncle, 7.2 cm.                -   Fourth peduncle, 3.0 cm.                -   Diameter: About 0.2 cm.                -   Texture: Minutely pubescent.                -   Color: 146 B.                -   Reproductive organs:                -   Androecium: Stamens on disc florets.                -   Stamen number: 5.                -   Anther shape and length: Oblong, 0.2 cm.                -   Anther color: 202 A.                -   Pollen color: 23 A.                -   Gynoecium: Ray florets.                -   Pistil length: 0.9 cm.                -   Stigma shape: Bipartite.                -   Stigma color: 200 B.                -   Style length: 0.5 cm.                -   Style color: 200 C.                -   Seed/fruit: None observed

Other inflorescence characteristics: Inflorescences partially close atnight. As flower ages, ray florets tend to curl backward like black-eyedSusans. Floret rays become lighter as flowers fully open, so that theyellow-gold tips are not as apparent. As the anthers and pollen dehiscefrom the outer ring toward the center, the pollen shows up as a ring, orbull's eye, until the entire disc shows gold on a black background.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of osteospermum plant named Sunny DarkAmanda, as illustrated and described.